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John H. Reynolds

February 1, 1920 ~ November 21, 2018 (age 98)

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“Honest” John H. Reynolds (98) of Great Falls, MT told his last tall tale Wednesday, November 21, 2018.

He was born in an elevator on February 1, 1920 to John (Jack) Reynolds and Eleanor (McAvoy) Reynolds in Shreveport, Louisiana. He graduated from Great Falls High in 1939 and joined the Navy in 1941 as a Pharmacist’s Mate First Class. In his time in the military he had various duty stations including San Diego, Pearl Harbor, Sand Point and Kodiak, Alaska. He worked on a PBM air search and rescue plane, prisoner transport ship, oil tanker USS Tippecanoe, and maintained a radar station in the Lucian Islands where he was the only medic. In his Navy career he saved countless lives, delivered babies, filled cavities, and even participated in one of the first successful skin grafts.

After the military he traveled with Mountain Bell and married Vera (White) Reynolds. They had two children, Linda Louise Reynolds and John Bruce Reynolds.

They moved back to Great Falls in 1952 and moved into their permanent house. Their marriage ended, and he met Jennie Vining, spending over 25 years fishing and dancing.

After Jennie passed, he met his new dance partner and significant other, Barbara Earley, who took wonderful care of him until his passing.

He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Eleanor Reynolds; half-brother, Robert Reynolds; sisters, Thelma Manning, Virginia Pasco, Irene Ranieri, Dorothy Muessel; daughter-in-law, Kim Verty Reynolds.

He is survived by his children, John Bruce Reynolds and Linda Louise Reynolds; grandchildren, Cody John Reynolds, Dustin Cole Reynolds (Claudia) and Janna Jenelle Reynolds (Joshua Frank), and great-grandchildren, Ryder John Frank and Jasper Marshall Frank.